Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Thanksgiving Inspiration


Finally I had the courage or confidence to assemble these pieces. I've added semi precious stones, fossils, or sea creatures (ones of natural demise) to accent a group of pieces I handmade months ago. This slender multi colored vase is adorned with sea urchin spines I collected in my travels. Although the vase appears black, it's more of a bronze with some dark tones of blue, red, and brown in the glaze. I should have taken a close up photo to show you.


I might have posted a couple of these before but I never attached the stones permanently because I was afraid I'd ruin them. I've attached a piece of British Columbia jade to mimic the curve of this tall narrow box and complement the color of the handle.


This small pinch bowl is accented with two pieces of jasper. Perhaps you recall I got the semi precious stones from Dan the Rock Man in New Mexico. I plan to get back to using a few more of these stones from time to time. When I make a piece, I take out a stone and lay it on my work space. I think about what clay shape or form might enhance the stone. It's meditative to contemplate the different colors and shapes of these stones imagining all the work it must have taken Dan to collect, cut, and polish them.


This small lidded box is adorned with a quartz crystal handle. The quartz crystal has some pink and lavender hues which I really like. The quartz crystal reminds me of the rocks I used to collect from old hydraulic mining pits in California. Veins of gold were found among the quartz rocks during the gold rush days and the quartz rocks were discarded. I collected the discarded quartz rocks and used them to build rock walls when I lived in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.

Today I'm thankful to have lived a full life able to travel to many places and meet so many inspirational people, both in person and on blogs. I usually describe nature as the inspiration for my art, but as I observe people living in harmony with nature this seems to have a special meaning to me now. People with strong yet gentle characters, the creative spirits of folks in today's world, are the ones who inspire me with their words, their actions, and their art. I hope you have a relaxing and peaceful Thanksgiving. Thanks to all of you for reading and commenting on my blog and thanks for all your support.

21 comments:

  1. What a lovely post! So many nice things to give thanks for, and I really like the additions on these pieces, I especially like the black pieces!!!

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  2. Wonderful post Linda. Happy Thanksgiving to you too :)

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  3. Beautiful post, Linda. I especially love the natural simplicity of these vessels and the telling of your relationship with each piece. Happy Thanksgiving to you, too!

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  4. Lovely. That little pinch pot is beautiful. Happy Thanksgiving Linda!

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  5. Very beutiful, Linda. Congratulations!

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  6. wow, Linda... very nice! I really like the vase and the pinch pot, but they all have a very appealing, earthy character about them.

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  7. You have a nice eye the way you combine your additions to your pots. Very elegant.

    Happy Thanksgiving.

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  8. Hi Linda! :)
    I´m also thankful for meeting nice people in the blogworld.

    Nice works you show today.
    Today when I work with things in my studio I work som hard so my Dremel got broken. A big puff came out from the engin. Well, tomorrow I think I can work with painting before it goes in the kiln.
    Hug to you.

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  9. wonderful post, the pinch pot with jasper is a beauty.
    wishing you and Gary a wonderful Thanksgiving.

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  10. Beautiful. I'm glad the confidence is coming back(or just surfacing?)...hope it keeps going in a positive direction. ~Mary

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  11. These additions really work for you Linda.I think these are some of the nicest pieces I have seen you post.Have a happy Thanksgiving.

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  12. Gorgeous creations..magical and intriguing...beautiful post! Blessings
    Victoria

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  13. These are very beautiful!

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  14. Hi Tracey, thanks, yes so many things to be thankful for, happy thanksgiving to you.

    Hi Barbara, thanks, happy thanksgiving to you too.

    Hi Charlene, thanks so much, I do enjoy working with clay and using some of my collections with the clay too. Happy Thanksgiving.

    Hi Patricia, thanks so much, the lowly pinch pot, Ha. Happy Thanks giving to you .

    Hi Laura, thanks so much.

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  15. Hi Sleeping Village, thanks so much for your feedback, hope you have a wonderful thanskgiving.

    Hi Smartcats, thannks so much, something a little different with the clay to keep things interesting.

    Hi Gudrun, thanks so much, oh too bad about the dremel, best to let it cool down a bit between uses. It's easy to get lost making clay isn't it. happy painting to you.

    Hi Michele, thanks so much, same to you and Jeff.

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  16. Hi Mary, thanks, yes resurfacing, moving and other issues take their toll, but now I'm toiling away, to get caught up.

    Hi Dennis, thanks so much for your feedback, a little avante garde but keeping it interesting, they are all from the earth anyway.

    Hi Victoria, thanks, yes the stones and mememtos from the earth are magical for sure, I know lots of folks really like the quartz crystals and think they bring good luck or have certain powers, I just love their simple beauty.

    Hi Lori, thanks so much for your thoughts.

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  17. Lovely pieces. Soothing to look at. Hope you and Gary had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

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  18. Linda,
    I love these pieces, they're gorgeous! Each stone goes perfectly w/ each pot. Read your post about Dan the Rock man... what a cool guy,. and hoe lucky that you found him. Hope you had a nice thanksgiving!

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  19. ps~ supposed to be 'how lucky,' not hoe! my fingers go to fast for my brain to keep up! :)

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  20. happy thanksgiving! blessings and peace--

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  21. Hi Barbara, thanks, yes we had a relaxing time, taking it easy this weekend.

    Hi Becky, thanks, I was lucky to meet that guy alongside of the road, just goes to show you never know about people till you talk to them - he knew so much about all the different rocks were they came from how they were formed, truly amazing.

    Hi Amy, thanks, happy thanksgiving to you too. Hope I can visit you one of these days in your new home.

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